Chapter 2: THE NATURE OF THE SEPARATION

14) What about the beauty and goodness
in the world?

Following the above answer, we can see
that the so-called positive aspects of our world are equally as illusory
as the negative ones. They are both aspects of a dualistic perceptual universe,
which but reflect the dualistic split in the mind of the Sonship. The famous
statement "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder' is also applicable here,
since what one deems as beauty, another may find to be aesthetically displeasing,
and vice versa. Similarly, what one society judges as good, another may
judge as bad and against the common good. This can be evidenced by
a careful study of history, sociology, and cultural anthropology. Therefore,
using the criterion for reality of eternal changelessness that Jesus employs
in the Course, we can conclude that nothing that the world deems beautiful
or good is real, and so it cannot have been created by God.

Therefore, given that both beauty and
goodness are relative concepts and thus are illusory, we should follow
Jesus' injunction to always ask ourselves: "What is the meaning of what
I behold?" (T-3I.VII.13:5). In other words, even though something
beautiful is illusory, it remains neutral, like everything else in the
world. Given to the ego, it serves its unholy purpose of reinforcing separation,
specialness, and guilt. Given to the Holy Spirit, on the other hand, it
serves the holy purpose of leading us to an experience of truth that lies
beyond perception. For example, a sunset can reinforce the belief that
I can find peace and well-being only while in its presence, or it can help
remind me that the true beauty of Christ is my Identity, and that this
beauty is internal, within my mind and independent of anything outside
it.

Reproduced with the kind permission of Gloria and
Kenneth
Wapnick and the Foundation for A Course in Miracles